“Boyfriend then.”

I shook my head. “No boyfriend, either, but yes. The father is very proud and surprisingly happy to be a father. I wasn’t sure he would be.”

“Being a parent is a gift.”

“So, I’m told, but I didn’t exactly have the best role models.”

“Well, I did.” She thrust her chin in the air.

I ignored the challenge and said carefully, “Now that I’m having twins of my own, I can’t imagine them not being in each other’s lives.”

She let out a harsh laugh and shook her head at me. “We weren’t in your life for lack of trying on our part.”

“I didn’t say I wanted Rita and Charlie in my life, but you are innocent in all of this. You didn’t choose to be kept any more than I chose to be given away.”

“You weren’t given away. You were taken away.” Tabatha threw up her hands. “I know you don’t want to believe this, but Eugenia didn’t keep her word and give you back like she was supposed to.”

I was already shaking my head. “Grammy wouldn’t do that.” I couldn’t go there. Because if I believed everything Tabatha and Rita were telling me, then the woman who raised me was a fraud, and I never really knew her at all. “She was the only one who has been there for me through everything I’ve gone through.”

“What you’ve gone through?” Tabatha gaped at me. “That’s a joke. You don’t have any idea what real hardship looks like.”

Her words cut through me. She didn’t know anything about me, so how could she judge me like this? I tried to put myself in her shoes and keep calm. “I heard about your husband and daughter’s tragic death. I can’t imagine what that was like. I didn’t even know you were married. But you’re not the only one who has been through shit. We all have had our battles, some more than others, but battles nonetheless.”

“I can’t do this. I told Mom I would try, but you have led a privileged life while we have struggled every day.”

“Clearly, I can’t either. This town loved Grammy, but I have been treated like a leech she had pity on. My cheating, manipulating, mentally abusive ex-husband—yes, I was married, too—only ever wanted me for my money. Still does. Other men have only ever wanted me for my looks, but those will fade in time.”

Tabatha grunted but didn’t say a word.

“Yes, Grammy took me in and loved me like her own, thank God, because my own parents didn’t want me. Do you know how that feels? No, you don’t. On top of all that, they robbed me of you, my only sibling, so don’t tell me I haven’t been through shit. And now that the only person who ever really gave a damn about me is gone, everyone is coming out of the woodwork wanting something from me. Well, I’ve had enough.”

“Good, I guess we’re finally on the same page.” She stood.

“Apparently so. I thought maybe you would be different as my twin, but I’m not about to beg anyone to want to be a part of my life.” I signaled for the check.

She opened her purse.

“Oh, don’t bother. I’m Ms. Moneybags, remember? I don’t need anything, especially not your money.” I threw down a wad of cash, willing my tears not to fall, as I stood and looped my purse over my shoulder.

Her gaze met mine, and she hesitated a moment, her mouth opening as if she wanted to say something. I saved her the trouble and turned on my heel, marching my way out the door first. Somehow her not wanting me cut deeper than the others.

Just once I had thought that maybe, just maybe, I would be enough for someone.

It was the end of July, and I was twelve weeks along. No more morning sickness, thank the Lord, but I did have on my very first pair of granny panties and maternity pants. Zoe had been right. They really weren’t that bad. My stomach had just started to thicken, and I couldn’t stand anything tight pressing on it.

“And how is my favorite patient feeling today?” Dr. Joy walked into the exam room of the practice she shared with Chaz.

“I bet you say that to all of your patients,” I grumbled, knowing I sounded like a pouting child but not being able to stop myself.

She laughed. “I see someone is experiencing pregnancy hormones.” She checked the vitals her nurse had recorded.

“And then some,” I admitted. “At least my morning sickness is gone finally. That was awful…times two!”

“Well, everything looks great on paper. We did your first sonogram at eight weeks. Now that you’re twelve weeks, I’d like to do another one.”

“Why, is something wrong?”

“It’s just a precaution because you’re having twins. Nothing to worry about, we just monitor you a little more closely.” She pulled a machine closer to the table I sat on. “I’ll just have you lie back, and we’ll take a look.”

I did as I was told, and then I heard a commotion outside the exam room door. Suddenly, in walked Matthew McGinnis, larger than life and scarier than ever. To my emotional state of mind anyway.

“Matt?” I sputtered. “What are you doing here?” I couldn’t stop thinking that he might be a part of some crazy clover cult.

“Excuse me, sir.” Dr. Joy frowned. “You can’t just barge into an exam room when the door is closed.”

“Chaz told me about the sonogram.” His gaze locked onto mine, silencing any protest I might give, almost daring me to tell him to leave.

“Dr. Anderson shouldn’t be talking about patients to anyone, let alone patients who aren’t his.” Dr. Joy crossed her arms over her lab coat and tapped her foot at Chaz, as he appeared by Matt’s side, out of breath.

“Sorry, Tiffany.” He looked apologetically at Dr. Joy before he scowled at Matt. “I did not tell Mr. McGinnis about your sonogram today. He was asking me about twin pregnancies in general, and how often sonograms were done. I told him it depended on the mother, but we typically do them every four weeks in our office.”

“Tiffany told me at eight weeks that she had a sonogram, and the twins were confirmed. I did the math and knew she was twelve weeks now.” Matt’s gaze swung back to mine. “It wasn’t too hard to find out when yer appointment was today. Yer office isn’t exactly discreet, if that’s what ye were counting on.” He narrowed his eyes at me, almost as if he felt hurt in some way. “What I want to know is why ye didn’t tell me about yer sonogram today? I’m the babies’ father. I have a right to know. Not to mention, did ye ever think maybe I would want to be present?”

He acted like he genuinely cared about his babies already. That was a first for me and was confusing me. Maybe he wasn’t part of a cult, but I had to be sure. I didn’t know I was having a sonogram today. I thought it was just another checkup. But he had a right to be involved if he wanted to.

“You’re right,” I finally said, coming to a decision.

He blinked. “I am?”

“As long as you’re okay with him being here, Tiffany, then I’ve got my own patients waiting.” Chaz raised a brow at me, waiting for my confirmation.

I nodded. “Matt can stay.”

Chaz tipped his head once and then closed the door behind him.

“Well, Mr. McGinnis, you won’t be finding out the sex of the babies until twenty weeks, if that’s what you’re hoping for by being here.” Dr. Joy gestured for him to stand on the other side of me where he could still see the monitor as she performed the sonogram.

“I don’t care what sex the babies are. I just want to see them with me own eyes.” He watched her squeeze a jelly type substance onto my stomach and roll a wand around until images popped up on the screen. “Make sure they’re okay.”

I studied his face and the sincerity written all over it. He really did care about his children already, I thought, surprised. When a look of wonder transformed his features, I turned my head to stare at the monitor and my jaw unhinged. The 3D ultrasound was in full color. I couldn’t get over the detail of how developed a twelve-week-old fetus already was.

We could see both babies, and it was like nothing I had ever experienced.

All of a sudden, I felt a hand squeeze mine. I glanced up at Matt and saw tears in his eyes at the same time that I felt my cheeks grow wet. Something happened between us, and I felt a bond grow. At this moment nothing else mattered. We would forever be connected to each other through our children.

I’d never had an “our” anything before.